Wash. Probes School Shootings
By ANJETTA McQUEEN, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Students who came to school with a plan to kill did not ``just snap.'' They told other kids, aired their grievances and otherwise left clues that could have been used to prevent the attacks, a Secret Service review of school shootings since 1974 finds.
In a departure from duties that include protecting the president and catching counterfeiters, the Secret Service examined 37 cases in hopes of teaching educators to take a closer look at what students are saying, rather than what they wear or who their friends are.
``This is not about personality,'' said Randy Borum, a forensic psychologist and mental health law expert who worked as a consultant for the Secret Service on the schools study, and its earlier looks at assassins. ``This is about behavior. This is about asking whether this kid is on a pathway to a violent act, and if so, where is he on that path and how quickly is he moving.''
The report, released Saturday, was the second federal law enforcement agency to weigh in on an issue that has vexed school and city officials. A guide the FBI issued last month on sizing up student threats drew mixed reviews from educators worried that an accompanying list of character traits would make targets of troubled children.
Concern over school violence remains high even though school killings dropped to 13 last year, from a peak of 52 eight years ago.
Education Department officials, who accepted an offer of help from the Secret Service, a Treasury Department agency, a year ago and sat in on agents' investigations, said the newest study offers a dose of reality for schools fighting violence.
``Young people who need help do not keep it a secret,'' Education Secretary Richard Riley said. ``But adults ... are often the last ones to know.''
Riley's school safety chief, William Modzeleski, said the report proves schools will have to be more vigilant about following up on student threats. ``This is a clear message that we have to change the climate and culture of schools. It's going to be important that students don't see speaking up as squealing.''
The review found that in most targeted attacks at school, the signals are loud and clear - at least among fellow students. In one case, a student told 24 classmates and friends of his interest in killing other kids and making bombs. In another case, rumors of a planned shooting drew two dozen onlookers to a school hallway before the attacker opened fire; one student had brought a video camera, but forgot to record the event in all the excitement.
Warren Allison, safety coordinator for Tucson, Ariz., schools said he always keeps his ear to the ground. ``This is the most important prevention of these types of acts. ... to these youngsters it's their whole world. They are usually really worried and we can't afford to blow it off,'' he said.
The Secret Service says its study of the cases - in which 41 boys and young men came to school with plans to kill someone in non-gang-related violence - was modeled in part on analysis the agency applies to adults who have threatened to hurt public officials.
It's the agency's first main look at schools, but the work could be used to address workplace violence and personal stalking cases, officials said. Just as the Secret Service communicates with mental health experts, local police and other agencies to thwart potential assassins, schools could collaborate with students, parents and others to prevent Columbine-style violence.
The Secret Service report warned strongly against profiling students.
``We do not try to make these students into little assassins or budding assassins,'' said Bryan Vossekuil, executive director of the Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, who co-wrote the study.
He said some school shooters were popular, others were not. Some made good grades; others were failing. Some were in foster care; some came from intact families that were pillars of the community.
Rather than building a profile of an attacker with a set of personality traits, the Secret Service focuses on behavior and motives, tracing the shooter's thoughts and actions from the day of the attack back to when the perpetrator first developed a notion to make the attack.
The nine-page interim report offered few other details on the cases studied, or the attackers interviewed. Vossekuil said details on the cases were unavailable; some of the cases are still in the courts, and records won't be released until those cases are resolved.
By ANJETTA McQUEEN, AP Education Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Students who came to school with a plan to kill did not ``just snap.'' They told other kids, aired their grievances and otherwise left clues that could have been used to prevent the attacks, a Secret Service review of school shootings since 1974 finds.
In a departure from duties that include protecting the president and catching counterfeiters, the Secret Service examined 37 cases in hopes of teaching educators to take a closer look at what students are saying, rather than what they wear or who their friends are.
``This is not about personality,'' said Randy Borum, a forensic psychologist and mental health law expert who worked as a consultant for the Secret Service on the schools study, and its earlier looks at assassins. ``This is about behavior. This is about asking whether this kid is on a pathway to a violent act, and if so, where is he on that path and how quickly is he moving.''
The report, released Saturday, was the second federal law enforcement agency to weigh in on an issue that has vexed school and city officials. A guide the FBI issued last month on sizing up student threats drew mixed reviews from educators worried that an accompanying list of character traits would make targets of troubled children.
Concern over school violence remains high even though school killings dropped to 13 last year, from a peak of 52 eight years ago.
Education Department officials, who accepted an offer of help from the Secret Service, a Treasury Department agency, a year ago and sat in on agents' investigations, said the newest study offers a dose of reality for schools fighting violence.
``Young people who need help do not keep it a secret,'' Education Secretary Richard Riley said. ``But adults ... are often the last ones to know.''
Riley's school safety chief, William Modzeleski, said the report proves schools will have to be more vigilant about following up on student threats. ``This is a clear message that we have to change the climate and culture of schools. It's going to be important that students don't see speaking up as squealing.''
The review found that in most targeted attacks at school, the signals are loud and clear - at least among fellow students. In one case, a student told 24 classmates and friends of his interest in killing other kids and making bombs. In another case, rumors of a planned shooting drew two dozen onlookers to a school hallway before the attacker opened fire; one student had brought a video camera, but forgot to record the event in all the excitement.
Warren Allison, safety coordinator for Tucson, Ariz., schools said he always keeps his ear to the ground. ``This is the most important prevention of these types of acts. ... to these youngsters it's their whole world. They are usually really worried and we can't afford to blow it off,'' he said.
The Secret Service says its study of the cases - in which 41 boys and young men came to school with plans to kill someone in non-gang-related violence - was modeled in part on analysis the agency applies to adults who have threatened to hurt public officials.
It's the agency's first main look at schools, but the work could be used to address workplace violence and personal stalking cases, officials said. Just as the Secret Service communicates with mental health experts, local police and other agencies to thwart potential assassins, schools could collaborate with students, parents and others to prevent Columbine-style violence.
The Secret Service report warned strongly against profiling students.
``We do not try to make these students into little assassins or budding assassins,'' said Bryan Vossekuil, executive director of the Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, who co-wrote the study.
He said some school shooters were popular, others were not. Some made good grades; others were failing. Some were in foster care; some came from intact families that were pillars of the community.
Rather than building a profile of an attacker with a set of personality traits, the Secret Service focuses on behavior and motives, tracing the shooter's thoughts and actions from the day of the attack back to when the perpetrator first developed a notion to make the attack.
The nine-page interim report offered few other details on the cases studied, or the attackers interviewed. Vossekuil said details on the cases were unavailable; some of the cases are still in the courts, and records won't be released until those cases are resolved.